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Results for “Atomically Precise Manufacturing”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 73 records · Page 4
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Grafted polythiophene pendent polymer brushes and their electronanopatterning

Here electrochemical nanolithography using grafted polymer brushes with terthiophene (3T) pendent was investigated. The film was fabricated by surface electropolymerization of a reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer agent macroinitiator containing a 3T pendant molecule and the subsequent polymer brush growth from a 3T functionalized methacrylate monomer (3T-Methacrylate). Electrochemical nanolithography and patterning were done using conducting atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) enabling precise nanopattern fabrication. In contrast to direct nanowriting, dip pen nanolithography, and nanolithographic additive manufacturing, the electrochemical nanolithography can be readily facilitated by applying a bias voltage between a conductive AFM tip and the grafted polymer brush film at ambient conditions and without ink transfer. The height and electrical resistance of the nanopatterns were dependent on the writing parameters (i.e. applied bias voltage and scan rate).

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Robotic four-dimensional pixel assembly of van der Waals solids

Van der Waals (vdW) solids can be engineered with atomically precise vertical composition through the assembly of layered two-dimensional materials. However, the artisanal assembly of structures from micromechanically exfoliated flakes is not compatible with scalable and rapid manufacturing. Further engineering of vdW solids requires precisely designed and controlled composition over all three spatial dimensions and interlayer rotation. Here, we report a robotic four-dimensional pixel assembly method for manufacturing vdW solids with unprecedented speed, deliberate design, large area and angle control. We used the robotic assembly of prepatterned 'pixels' made from atomically thin two-dimensional components. Wafer-scale two-dimensional material films were grown, patterned through a clean, contact-free process and assembled using engineered adhesive stamps actuated by a high-vacuum robot. We fabricated vdW solids with up to 80 individual layers, consisting of 100 x 100 μm 2 areas with predesigned patterned shapes, laterally/vertically programmed composition and controlled interlayer angle. This enabled efficient optical spectroscopic assays of the vdW solids, revealing new excitonic and absorbance layer dependencies in MoS 2 . Furthermore, we fabricated twisted $N$-layer assemblies, where we observed atomic reconstruction of twisted four-layer WS 2 at high interlayer twist angles of >= 4°. In conclusion, our method enables the rapid manufacturing of atomically resolved quantum materials, which could help realize the full potential of vdW heterostructures as a platform for novel physics and advanced electronic technologies.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2023

A semiempirical transparency model for dual energy cargo radiography applications

Cargo containers passing through ports are scanned by non-intrusive inspection systems to search for concealed illicit materials. By using two photon beams with different energy spectra, dual energy inspection systems are sensitive to both the area density and the atomic number of cargo contents. Most literature on the subject assumes a simple exponential attenuation model for photon intensity in which only free streaming photons are detected. However, this approximation neglects second order effects such as scattering, leading to a biased model and thus incorrect material predictions. This work studies the accuracy of the free streaming model by comparing it to simulation outputs, finding that the model shows poor atomic number reconstruction accuracy at high- Z and suffers significantly if the source energy spectra and detector response function are not known exactly. To address these challenges, this work introduces a semiempirical transparency model which modifies the free streaming model by rescaling different components of the mass attenuation coefficient, allowing the model to capture secondary effects ignored by the free streaming model. The semiempirical model displays improvement agreement with simulated results at high- Z and shows excellent extrapolation to materials and thicknesses which were not included during the calibration step. Furthermore, this work demonstrates that the semiempirical model yields accurate atomic number predictions even when the source spectra and detector response are not known exactly. In conclusion, using the semiempirical model, manufacturers can perform a simple calibration to enable more precise Z reconstruction capabilities, which has the potential to significantly improve the performance of existing dual energy radiographic systems.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
NASA NTRS2001

Fast prototyping of high-aspect ratio, high-resolution x-ray masks by gas-assisted focused ion beam

The capacity of chemically-assisted focused ion beam (fib) etching systems to undertake direct and highly anisotropic erosion of thin and thick gold (or other high atomic number [Z])coatings on x-ray mask membranes/substrates provides new levels of precision, flexibility, simplification and rapidity in the manufacture of mask absorber patterns, allowing the fast prototyping of high aspect ratio, high-resolution masks for deep x-ray lithography.

fast prototyping of high-aspect ratio high-resolut↗
DOE OSTI2023

High-throughput manufacturing of epitaxial membranes from a single wafer by 2D materials-based layer transfer process

Layer transfer techniques have been extensively explored for semiconductor device fabrication as a path to reduce costs and to form heterogeneously integrated devices. These techniques entail isolating epitaxial layers from an expensive donor wafer to form freestanding membranes. However, current layer transfer processes are still low-throughput and too expensive to be commercially suitable. Here we report a high-throughput layer transfer technique that can produce multiple compound semiconductor membranes from a single wafer. We directly grow two-dimensional (2D) materials on III–N and III–V substrates using epitaxy tools, which enables a scheme comprised of multiple alternating layers of 2D materials and epilayers that can be formed by a single growth run. Each epilayer in the multistack structure is then harvested by layer-by-layer mechanical exfoliation, producing multiple freestanding membranes from a single wafer without involving time-consuming processes such as sacrificial layer etching or wafer polishing. Moreover, atomic-precision exfoliation at the 2D interface allows for the recycling of the wafers for subsequent membrane production, with the potential for greatly reducing the manufacturing cost.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Molecular Layer Etching of Metalcone Films Using Lithium Organic Salts and Trimethylaluminum

Advances in semiconductor device manufacturing are limited by our ability to precisely add and remove thin layers of material in multistep fabrication processes. Recent reports on atomic layer etching (ALE) have provided the means for the precise removal of inorganic thin films deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD), opening new avenues for nanoscale device design. Here, we report on a new technique for the precise removal of metal organic thin films deposited by molecular layer deposition (MLD), which we term molecular layer etching. This etching process employs sequential exposures of lithium organic salt (LOS) and trimethylaluminum (TMA) precursors to produce self-limiting etching behavior. We employ quartz crystal microbalance experiments to demonstrate (i) etching of alucone films preloaded with LOS upon TMA exposures and (ii) layer-by-layer etching of alucone films using alternating exposures of LOS and TMA. We also identify the selectivity of these etching mechanisms. We probe the mechanism for the layer-by-layer etching of alucone using a quartz crystal microbalance and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and identify that the etching proceeds via heterolytic cleaving of Al-O bonds in alucone upon LOS exposure followed by methylation to produce volatile species upon TMA exposure. The etching process results in the removal of 0.4 nm/cycle of alucone at 160 °C and up to 3.6 nm/cycle of alucone at 266 °C in ex situ etching experiments on silicon wafers. This halogen-free etching process enables etching of MLD films and provides new fabrication pathways for the control of material geometries at the nanoscale.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2022

Laser synthesis and processing of atomically thin 2D materials

Recent advances in laser synthesis and processing of 2D materials are described that address key issues of scalable synthesis, precise heterogeneity control, and transformative manufacturing. Here, laser spectroscopy is used to remotely characterize and optimize the structure and functionality of 2D materials, enabling their in-situ diagnostic-based synthesis and processing.

2D materials↗
DOE OSTI2021

FAIR DEAL Grand Challenge Overview

While it is likely practically a bad idea to shrink a transistor to the size of an atom, there is no arguing that it would be fantastic to have atomic-scale control over every aspect of a transistor – a kind of crystal ball to understand and evaluate new ideas. This project showed that it was possible to take a niche technique used to place dopants in silicon with atomic precision and apply it broadly to study opportunities and limitations in microelectronics. In addition, it laid the foundation to attaining atomic-scale control in semiconductor manufacturing more broadly.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Future of plasma etching for microelectronics: Challenges and opportunities

Plasma etching is an essential semiconductor manufacturing technology required to enable the current microelectronics industry. Along with lithographic patterning, thin-film formation methods, and others, plasma etching has dynamically evolved to meet the exponentially growing demands of the microelectronics industry that enables modern society. At this time, plasma etching faces a period of unprecedented changes owing to numerous factors, including aggressive transition to three-dimensional (3D) device architectures, process precision approaching atomic-scale critical dimensions, introduction of new materials, fundamental silicon device limits, and parallel evolution of post-CMOS approaches. The vast growth of the microelectronics industry has emphasized its role in addressing major societal challenges, including questions on the sustainability of the associated energy use, semiconductor manufacturing related emissions of greenhouse gases, and others. The goal of this article is to help both define the challenges for plasma etching and point out effective plasma etching technology options that may play essential roles in defining microelectronics manufacturing in the future. The challenges are accompanied by significant new opportunities, including integrating experiments with various computational approaches such as machine learning/artificial intelligence and progress in computational approaches, including the realization of digital twins of physical etch chambers through hybrid/coupled models. These prospects can enable innovative solutions to problems that were not available during the past 50 years of plasma etch development in the microelectronics industry. To elaborate on these perspectives, the present article brings together the views of various experts on the different topics that will shape plasma etching for microelectronics manufacturing of the future.

Engineering↗
DOE OSTI2020

Atomically Precise Membranes for the Separation of Gases

Industrial separations require enormous amounts of energy, accounting for approximately half the industrial energy use and 10–15% of the total energy consumption. Distillation alone accounts for about half the energy demand for industrial separations. If these processes could be replaced by an energy-efficient membrane separation process, this energy demand could be reduced by 90%. However, although some membrane processes have made inroads into thermal distillation, for membrane-based separations to replace the distillation process to a far more significant and practical level, new membranes with higher robustness, selectivity, and flux still need be developed. In this membrane development program, we leveraged Temple University’s prior work in spiroligomers to develop robust membrane structures. These structures can be formed into atomically precise pores by controlling the chemical synthesis and the oligomer building blocks to first build precisely controlled macrocycles and then subsequently crosslinking these macrocycles to produce a membrane. Furthermore, through the highly controllable chemistry of our molecular building blocks, not only can we integrate pores with highly controllable and reproducible size and morphology, but we can also target internal functionalization. By using a range of scalable membrane synthesis approaches, combined with control of each and every pores internal chemistry and molecular conformation we can achieve membrane structures that can display the ultimate in high selectivity and permeance. The Mainstream-Temple University membranes can be designed to achieve ultra-selective separations based on the key factors of molecular size, shape, and functionality. In our approach to fabricate scalable atomically precise membranes, we used our molecular Lego nanostructures. We demonstrated an approach to create atomically precise pores within the membrane with pores that are the dimensions of the molecule we are trying to separate. Moreover, in addition to controlling the morphology of the membrane structure by controlling the size of every pore, we can also decorate every pore with precisely targeted and placed functional groups. These accurately placed functional groups can provide selective binding to molecules and provide enhanced selectivity via a facilitated transport mechanism. In Phase II, the Mainstream-Temple University team demonstrated the scalable synthesis of oligomers and the ability to control the pore internal and external functionality, or chemistry, to allow the fabrication of a thin-film membrane. The initial steps of the spiroligomer synthesis to produce the two key bis-amino enantiomer building blocks were scaled from the gram scale to the kilogram scale, obtaining 25 kg of the materials by transferring the procedure to a toll manufacturer. Finally, we successfully optimized the fabrication of these macrocycles into robust membranes. We successfully transitioned from a laboratory based, hard-to-scale Langmuir trough synthesis to a highly scalable, roll-to-roll applicable, interfacial polymerization process. During this Phase II program, we established a platform of atomically precise membranes where our highly controllable, atomically precise macrocycles served as a scaffold with precisely and uniformly controlled pores. Furthermore, this layer can be tailored to accommodate a diverse range of functional groups, which both further controlled the pore size to enhance the sieving effect as well as imparting precisely controlled targeted selectivity through biomimetic molecular interactions. In this Phase II, we established and scaled up a platform approach to both tune the pore size and chemistry as well as scale it to produce membranes that can be applied to a wide range of industries. In future development, the project team expects to scale up both the macrocycle building block production and interfacial polymerization process to produce the atomically precise membrane with targeted pore sizes and pore chemistries.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Concentric Ring Gas Atomization Die Design for Optimized Particle Production

In partnership with Linde plc (formerly Praxair, Inc.), Ames Laboratory will further develop and commercialize its concentric-ring high pressure gas atomization (CR-HPGA) gas-die technology with a goal to improve the precision of metal powder production in a desired size range and quality. The successful commercialization of this technology could reduce production cost of metal powders and improve reliability of this industrial process, increasing specialty alloy powder availability for new applications and adoption into additive manufacturing and multiple materials sectors. The project scope is to [1] utilize AMES compressible gas flow and melt break-up models to explore a wide swath of parameter space available for the CR-HPGA technology, identifying the most promising gas-die designs for fabrication, [2] verify and optimize the new gas-die design, fabricate it and select preferred operating parameters by gas-only flow imaging and aspiration pressure measurements, down-selecting gas compositions and atomization parameters for full scale testing, [3] perform pilot-scale atomization trials with Al and/or Cu alloys of a new CR-HPGA gas-die at selected parameters, [4] evaluate gas-die performance by comparing resulting powder size distribution and powder quality attributes with equivalent powders made by conventional close-coupled HPGA technology, and [5] assess (through Praxair partnership) reduction in operational costs of new CR-HPGA gas-die through the use of an inert gas recovery/recycling system. In partnership with Praxair, Inc., the team, led by Ames Laboratory senior metallurgist Iver Anderson, intend to demonstrate the performance of an optimized CR-HPGA gas-die design in a pilot scale atomizer and better understand the design and operational controls to increase overall benefits for precision metal powder production.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2024

Machine Learning for Predictive Performance Analysis in Charged Particle Beam Tools

Imaging methods driven by probes, electrons, and ions have played a dominant role in modern science and engineering. Opportunities for machine vision and AI that focus on consumer problems like driving and feature recognition, are now presenting themselves for automating aspects of the scientific processes. This proposal aims to enable and drive discovery in ultra-low energy implantation by taking advantage of faster processing, flexible control and detection methods, and architecture-agnostic workflows that will result in higher efficiency and shorter scientific development cycles. Custom microscope control, collection and analysis hardware will provide a framework for conducting novel in situ experiments revealing unprecedented insight into surface dynamics at the nanoscale. Ion implantation is a key capability for the semiconductor industry. As devices shrink, novel materials enter the manufacturing line, and quantum technologies transition to being more mainstream. Traditional implantation methods fall short in terms of energy, ion species, and positional precision. Here we demonstrate 1 keV focused ion beam Au implantation into Si and validate the results via atom probe tomography. We show the Au implant depth at 1 keV is 0.8 nm and that identical results for low energy ion implants can be achieved by either lowering the column voltage, or decelerating ions using bias – while maintaining a sub-micron beam focus. We compare our experimental results to static calculations using SRIM and dynamic calculations using binary collision approximation codes TRIDYN and IMSIL. A large discrepancy between the static and dynamic simulation is found that is due to lattice enrichment with high stopping power Au and surface sputtering. Additionally, we demonstrate how model details are particularly important to the simulation of these low-energy heavy-ion implantations. Finally, we discuss how our results pave a way to much lower implantation energies, while maintaining high spatial resolution.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2023

Measurement and Simulation of Ultra-Low-Energy Ion–Solid Interaction Dynamics

Ion implantation is a key capability for the semiconductor industry. As devices shrink, novel materials enter the manufacturing line, and quantum technologies transition to being more mainstream. Traditional implantation methods fall short in terms of energy, ion species, and positional precision. Here, we demonstrate 1 keV focused ion beam Au implantation into Si and validate the results via atom probe tomography. We show the Au implant depth at 1 keV is 0.8 nm and that identical results for low-energy ion implants can be achieved by either lowering the column voltage or decelerating ions using bias while maintaining a sub-micron beam focus. We compare our experimental results to static calculations using SRIM and dynamic calculations using binary collision approximation codes TRIDYN and IMSIL. A large discrepancy between the static and dynamic simulation is found, which is due to lattice enrichment with high-stopping-power Au and surface sputtering. Additionally, we demonstrate how model details are particularly important to the simulation of these low-energy heavy-ion implantations. Finally, we discuss how our results pave a way towards much lower implantation energies while maintaining high spatial resolution.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Tailoring Corrosion Resistance of Additively Manufactured Metals with Atomic Layer Deposition

The goal of this work is to develop a scalable post-manufacturing capability at LANL that utilizes atomic layer deposition (ALD) for corrosion-resistant coatings onto additively manufactured (AM) metals. This will provide fundamentally new and essential capabilities towards the interchangeability of AM metals with traditionally wrought or machined material. This will be accomplished by (1) formulating novel ALD precursor doses and film thicknesses onto as-printed coupons of AM metals and (2) providing electrochemical characterization of corrosion susceptibility as a function of deposited film thickness. While ALD is well-established, the unique aspect (risk) of this work is application to rough AM surfaces. This risk is mitigated by repeating ALD deposition cycles, where thicker coatings laterally branch, resulting in a uniform coating. This risk will be assessed in the phase 1 feasibility study, wherein the application of ALD coatings to small AM coupon surfaces will be demonstrated using existing hardware and characterization tools at Sigma. This study alone will provide ground-breaking insight on the compatibility of ALD coating techniques with AM metals. Going beyond the phase 1 study, a standalone deposition chamber will be built, so full AM components can be coated and tested. While this MFR investment is focused on corrosion mitigation, it is critical to highlight external benefits of this technique outside the scope of this proposed study. ALD has extraordinary universality, whereby almost any material can be given almost any coating or graded density coating with atomic precision; and, the only limiting factors to scalability is the size of the dosing chamber. The self-limiting reactions intrinsic to ALD offers high conformity to part geometry and tolerance, even for internal surfaces where electroplating or conventional chemical vapor deposition falls short due to differential diffusion. This uniquely positions ALD at the forefront of post-manufacturing strategies for AM components, especially for those with complex geometry and internal surfaces.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Assessment of wafer scale MoS 2 atomic layers grown by metal–organic chemical vapor deposition using organo-metal, organo-sulfide, and H 2 S precursors

Transition Metal Dichalcogenides (TMDs) are a unique class of materials that exhibit attractive electrical and optical properties which have generated significant interest for applications in microelectronics, optoelectronics, energy storage, and sensing. Considering the potential of these materials to impact such applications, it is crucial to develop a reliable and scalable synthesis process that is compatible with modern industrial manufacturing methods. Metal–organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) offers an ideal solution to produce TMDs, due to its compatibility with large-scale production, precise layer control, and high material purity. Optimization of MOCVD protocols is necessary for effective TMD synthesis and integration into mainstream technologies. Additionally, improvements in metrology are necessary to measure the quality of the fabricated samples more accurately. In this work, we study MOCVD of wafer-scale molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) utilizing two common chalcogen precursors, H 2 S and DTBS. We then develop a metrology platform for wafer scale samples quality assessment. For this, the coalesced films were characterized using Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Kelvin probe force microscopy. We then correlate the structural analysis of these grown films with electrical performance by using aerosol jet printing to fabricate van der Pauw test structures and assess sheet resistance.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Genesis Solar Wind Sample Curation Documentation

Introduction: A scientist with experience as a sample science analyst, provider of flight hardware for multiple missions, and senior engineer in an ISO 2000-rated manufacturing plant has described the timeline of key participants in any PI-led sample return mission, the breadth of the organizations involved [1,2], and, of interest to this meeting, choosing the types of data to preserve and issues of future data accessibility. This work broadens that perspective by giving similar lessons from Genesis sample curation point-of-view. Curation participation regarding data gathering was part of the mission review process from the beginning. Genesis’ story illustrates outcome of several choices about types of data to record and preserve. Precision analysis of solar wind atoms captured in pure, ultraclean substrates is the driving science goal; therefore, detailed documentation was captured from all mission and curation phases and from investigator laboratories because these processes affect the final analytical results [3]. Pre-flight: Design and fabrication of the spacecraft. Like many modern small sample return missions, Genesis was a tightly managed team integrated across science, engineering and curation. Communication across the team was excellent, and, for the most part, the hands-on engineering technicians understood the impacts of “small choices” they routinely make, and the eyes-on oversight of manufacturing processes by scientists was mindful of details. The payload was designed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the spacecraft by Lockheed Martin. Solar wind collectors and instruments were fabricated by multiple vendors and laboratories. The main portion of the payload was assembled at JSC. Fabrication procedures and contamination-control data (with witness coupons) were stored primarily at JSC. The original composition, dimensions and configuration of components, results of thermal testing, etc. are still needed for interpretation of analytical data. At times, these must be estimated from secondary information acquired pre-flight. Moreover, some files (e.g., original 3-D models and early Powerpoint) cannot be opened using software. Archived curation data includes 2-D drawings, material usage lists, QA documentation and analyses of consumables used during fabrication. Important chemical information still resides in archived hardware, paints and lubricants, material coupons, cleaning coupons, environmental witness plates and reference materials from manufacturing facilities. Purity and cleanliness of collector substrates. Semi-conductor vendors provided surface cleanliness data and some purity data. Purity for specific elements of interest was verified by science team members in their laboratories [4]. Curation archived procurement and shipping records, analysis reports, and non-proprietary fabrication data. A physical archive of flight collector reference materials is maintained for future use so additional data can be collected as analytical techniques improve. These are of increased value due to the hard landing upon re-entry. Cleaning and cleanliness assessments of flight hardware. Cleaning of the science canister payload was performed at JSC in a dedicated ISO 4 cleanroom using ultrapure water (UPW). The cleanliness of this UPW was monitored throughout processing. The archive for the clean lab also includes airborne particle counts, airborne molecular and inorganic contamination measurements as well as cleanroom construction material coupons and witness coupons. Hardware cleanliness was assessed by particle counts in rinse water batches. This information is recorded in batch cleaning forms and logbooks, and are, perhaps, of decreased value due to the hard landing. Post-flight: Curation-generated data. The curation handling history of each Genesis sample is documented in a typical astromaterials sample database which captures sample location, physical description and characterization data. Samples have a “shelf life”. Crucial to the preservation of samples is ongoing documentation of the sample environment, initially under curatorial control but is now a separate facility function with requires coordination. PI-generated data. Data on sample characterization and cleaning techniques continues to be generated by sample users [5]. These are often captured in LPSC abstracts, but these “engineering” results often are not publishable as stand-alone papers. We are actively looking for ways to make this information more accessible to users. Ion implants into samples have aided science return and can be shared among investigators. These (and similar) materials should be added to the curatorial collection with appropriate process and characterization data generated externally. Summary: Complete data archives for returned astromaterial samples must be broad in types and formats, and inclusive of environmental monitoring.

Genesis↗
NASA NTRS1973

Low cost automated precise time measurement system

The Aerospace Guidance and Metrology Center (AGMC) has the responsibility for the dissemination of Precise Time and Time Interval (PTTI) to Air Force timing systems requiring microsecond time. In order to maintain traceability to the USNO Master Clock in Washington D.C., and accomplish efficient logging of time and frequency data on individual precision clocks, a simple automatic means of acquiring precise time has been devised. The Automatic Time Interval Measurement System (ATIMS) consists of a minicomputer (8K Memory), teletype terminal, electronic counter, Loran C receiver, time base generator and locally-manufactured relay matrix panel. During the measurement process, the computer controls the relay matrix which selects for comparison 13 atomic clocks against a reference clock and the reference versus Loran C. Through use of the system teletype, the operator is able to set the system clock (hours, minutes and seconds), examine and/or modify all clock data and constants, and set measurement intervals. This is done in a conversational manner. A logic flow diagram, system schematic, source listing and software components are included in the presentation.

Alpert, A.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Production of microchannel plates using nano-scale additive manufacturing

Microchannel plate (MCP) detectors have been the workhorse detector for many applications, including space borne ultra-violet imaging and spectrographic instruments. Recent advances in additive manufacturing (AM) have enabled fabrication of complex structures with nano-scale resolution facilitating the production of highly customizable MCPs. Using AM to produce MCPs potentially has many advantages over traditional fused glass substrates, including better material control (e.g., more robust glasses or ceramics), better control of microscopic features (e.g., unique pore geometries to improve performance), and better control of macroscopic features (e.g., printing precision curved surfaces for focal plane matching). Through a collaboration with industry, national laboratory, and university partners, small format microcapillary array substrates were produced using a standard polymer photoresin. In conclusion, these substrates were functionalized using atomic layer deposition and their performance was compared to current state-of-the-art Pb-glass and borosilicate-glass MCPs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗